


When everything seems hopeless

by FancifulRivers



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Forbidden Forest, Gen, Memory Alteration, Possession, obliviate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 12:32:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10513845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FancifulRivers/pseuds/FancifulRivers
Summary: Luna meets someone one night when she leaves the Forbidden Forest.





	

She ran, bare feet slipping over fallen pine needles and rough bits of rock. Their taunts (and the formerly reassuring ramparts of Hogwarts) receded into the distance until she finally stopped, bending over with her hands on her knees, the only sound her harsh breathing.

_Why_ did they have to be so cruel? Luna scrubbed her face clean of tears with the edge of her now-ripped robes. She hadn't  _done_ anything to them. She'd just wanted friends.

Apparently it was wrong to believe in Nargles or that it was possible to see faeries when you looked in ponds at your reflection just right. Apparently it was wrong to wear necklaces made out of butterbeer corks or preserved radishes as earrings that you and your mum made together before she died. Apparently it was wrong to think that maybe your books should stay in your trunk and your shoes by your bedside.

Luna shivered, suddenly realising just how far into the Forbidden Forest she'd actually ran. Just before curfew, too. Even if she made it out, she was bound to be in a world of trouble, wasn't she? Professor Flitwick seemed very nice (and had quite a jolly, squeaky voice that she rather liked) but she didn't think that he would be alright with a first year being out so late, in a place she'd been expressly forbidden to enter.

Of course, the little bullies otherwise known as her year mates had practically  _driven_ her to it, but you couldn't snitch on your fellow students, could you? She hadn't been here long, but she knew  _that_. It was the same at the little primary school in the village. One boy, Elroy, had told the teacher that the biggest bully had broken all his quills and the next morning, Elroy had shown up with a broken  _arm_. His mum didn't believe in using skele grow on a child so young. Luna was sure the Hospital Wing had skele grow, but there were an awful lot of bullies and she didn't know if she could afford to have that many broken bones.

Something rustled not that far away and she froze before carefully tiptoeing away, attempting to re-trace her steps with the dim light of the moon to guide her. It wasn't full and the trees made it hard to see, but she had to try. She didn't want to end up werewolf food. Or worse.

A branch snapped behind her and Luna ran, even faster than she had when going  _into_ the forest. Her robes kept snagging on branches that seemed dedicated to getting in her way and one even slapped across her cheek, just missing the corner of her eye, but before long, she could see the warm lights of Hagrid's hut. They'd never been so welcome.

She was so excited, in fact, that she crashed right into someone.

"Oomph," they groaned beneath her, a mass of robes and bright red hair.

"Oh, I'm very sorry," Luna apologised hastily, rolling off them and clambering to her feet. She offered a hand to help them up, but they ignored it. 

"What are you doing out here?" It was a girl's voice, but it sounded...wrong. Luna's forehead wrinkled in puzzlement.

"I lost track of time," she lied. Apprehension thickened her throat, but she couldn't figure out why. The other student (for it had to be another student, and one only a little taller than she was) stood up, feathers spilling out of their robe pockets. A thick, metallic odor wreathed briefly around Luna's nose and she stepped backward. Just once.

"You're lucky," the voice said. A pale, freckled hand came out of the darkness and tapped the tip of her nose. "Very lucky."

"I've always thought so," Luna said in her best dreamy voice. "But why do you say it?"

"Because," and the person came closer, wand tip lighting up so that Luna could see the face of the youngest Weasley. "This is the worst you'll get.

" _Obliviate!_ "

Luna shook her head, looking around. She could have sworn- 

Her palms were scraped and her knees stung. An owl hooted above her and she startled.

"It's nothing," she said aloud. "I must be jumpy."

As she trudged up to the castle, a single feather clung to the bottom of her robes.


End file.
